Short Term Rental Licenses
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Program Outline
Clear Creek County has three (3) types of Short-Term Rental (STR) Licenses available to offer.
Standard License
License Capacity In Effect
No more than 4.5% of the total number of residences in unincorporated Clear Creek County, in any given year, may receive a 'Non-Primary' Resident STR Permit. With a total count of 3606 residential units, this means 162 Permits are available for issuance for the 2025 year; the same amount as in 2024.
NOTE: All Absentee Permits have been spoken for 2025.
Existing permits in good standing have priority to renew for the following year.
Waiting List for Absentee STR License
To apply for a spot on the Absentee / Non-Primary Resident waitlist, please contact the Short-Term Rental Manager at (303) 679-2436. Applicants must complete necessary application forms, submit the $500 application fee, to be placed on the waitlist. The placement on the waitlist does not guarantee the issuance of a permit.
Absentee STR Waitlist Current Count: 21 Properties
Waitlist applicants, we will individually invite you to apply when a license is available for you. We have moved people off the waitlist in 2026.
***Your position on the waitlist does not indicate if you are eligible to apply for a license. The waitlist consists of eligible and ineligible properties. We check eligibility of the highest positions in order when new licenses are available each time.
For eligibility requirements please refer to Ordinance 19.
How Does Clear Creek Define 'Primary Residence'?
A home or abode used and occupied by a person as that person’s principal place of residence at least nine months each calendar year, and that person owns the residence, holds a controlling interest in a business entity that owns the residence, or is the beneficiary of a trust holding the residence.
How Does Clear Creek Define 'Seasonal' License?
This license type allows the owners to rent out the entirety of their home
in which they live nine (9) months or more,
the residence may not be rented more than 120 days in a one-year license period.
Note: Accessory Dwelling units are not eligible for Primary Residence – Seasonal STR License. Monitoring software is used to verify compliance.
How Does Clear Creek Define 'Primary Residence'?
A home or abode used and occupied by a person as that person’s principal place of residence at least nine months each calendar year, and that person owns the residence, holds a controlling interest in a business entity that owns the residence, or is the beneficiary of a trust holding the residence.
How Does Clear Creek County Define 'Occupied Residence'?
Occupied Licensees may rent out a portion of their home in which they live full time. The license holder may live on a property with a permitted Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), as defined in the Clear Creek County Zoning Regulations and obtain a Primary Residence STR License for the permitted ADU, or vice-versa.
Note: There is special guidance set out by the Colorado Division of Water Resources concerning water supplies for ADUs that is outlined in Guideline 2016-1. Use of an ADU as an STR must demonstrate it can follow this Guideline in addition to providing evidence of a legal water supply.
What is a Short-Term Rental?
The nightly or weekly rental of dwellings, dwelling units, mobile homes or rooms, excluding hotels/motels and bed and breakfast establishments, for less than 30 consecutive days, including but not limited to: single-family dwellings, duplexes, multi-family dwellings, townhomes, condominiums, time shares, or similar dwellings.
*Other structures, such as but not limited to, yurts, tents and other tent-type structures, primitive structures, recreational vehicles, campers, and any otherwise temporary structures, are not permitted to be used as STRs.
Short-Term Rental License Lookup
Is a property is permitted as an STR? Find out on:
Building Safety Inspections
As part of your Short-Term Rental License Approval, you are required to certify that certain Building Safety elements are in place. See the list HERE Building Safety Inspections Building Safety Inspections. The Chief Building Official will require an inspection to verify these safety items.
Insurance Requirements
The liability requirement comes from the Ordinance 19. Usually, this is covered under a Short-Term Rental specific policy or a commercial policy. This coverage may not be available with all insurance providers or on a standard homeowner’s policy, in which case the owner will need to obtain the additional coverage. AirCover is not acceptable. For a list of all insurance requirements please review Ordinance 19.
Sales and Lodging Tax Collection
Short-term rental owners are required to collect Lodging and Sales Tax from their guests and remit payment to the Colorado Department of Revenue. See Tax Information for Short Term Rentals
Evidence of Legal Water Supply and Sewage Treatment Required
Evidence of a legal water supply and sewage disposal method is required as part of your permit application. If the residence uses a well and/or septic system, evidence may come in the form of the current well permit and onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS) Permit for the property. If an unsuitable or undocumented OWTS is being used, additional upgrading or replacement of the OWTS may be required to bring it into compliance with environmental health codes.
If an unsuitable or undocumented water supply is being used, additional steps may be required to come into compliance with the requirements of the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Auxiliary Living Spaces (accessory dwelling units) cannot be rented per Guideline 2016-1.
Complaints & Enforcement
Clear Creek County rigorously enforces regulations against unauthorized short-term rentals. If you suspect a property of operating without a permit, we urge you to immediately submit a concern with Code Enforcement. We treat these matters with the highest level of seriousness to maintain the integrity and safety of our community.